Now is the time, dear Calling Caldecott readers! Our mock Caldecott poll is open, and it's time to select your top three choices for the most distinguished picture book of 2025.  

Over the last four-and-a-half months, we’ve covered thirty eligible books (or is it twenty-nine?). We've looked at the ecletic NYT/NYPL’s Best Illustrated list — which doesn’t have to contend with eligibility rules — and we’ve gotten into the weeds a bit with those pesky rules. We’ve also considered informational picture books (Calde-Sibert®) in relation to the Caldecott Award. Shout out to our dedicated and stalwart contributors! 

With this mock vote, we are attempting to mimic the actual committee’s process, but of course this is nothing like the real thing. The Caldecott Committee will vote a number of times until there’s a clear first-place winner. And in between votes there’s lots and lots of discussion and debate. (If you're interested in the nuts and bolts, please consult the Caldecott Award Committee Manual.) 

For the purposes of this vote, we ask that you choose three books, ranking them in order from first to third. In tabulating the results, the first-place choices will be more heavily weighted (with 4 points) than second- (3 points) and third-place (2 points) picks.   

Remember — this is a mock vote. Calling Caldecott's results have no bearing on the real world, or on the committee's deliberations and choices. And as we ask every year, please refrain from engaging in or promoting ballot stuffing. 

Without further ado, here is the list of twenty-six books on our mock ballot:  

Aggie and the Ghost (Forsythe)  

Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa (Fajardo/Martinez-Neal)  

Anything (Stead/Zhang)  

Big Enough (Linke)  

Cat Nap (Lies)  

Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World) (Tabor)   

Dancing with Water (Wallace/Engel)  

Dear Acorn (Love, Oak) (Sidman/Sweet)   

Every Monday Mabel (Awan)  

Fireworks (Burgess/Chien)   

A Forest Song (Hall/Turk)   

A Gift of Dust (Brockenbrough/Martinez-Neal)  

The History of We (Smith)   

How Elegant the Elephant (Hoberman/Frazee)  

How Sweet the Sound (Alexander/Palmer)   

Imogen (Partridge/Shimizu)  

A Knot Is Not a Tangle (Nayeri/Stamper)  

Let’s Be Bees (Harris)   

Moon Song (Goade)  

Night Light (Emberley)   

No More Chairs (Gill/Gal)  

Nunu and the Sea (Kung)  

Our Lake (Kang)   

A Place for Us (Ransome)  

Song of a Blackbird (van Lieshout)   

To See an Owl (Cordell)  

When you’ve made your final three choices, in ranked order, head here for the ballot.   

The ballot closes Tuesday, January 20, at noon (ET). We will announce the winner and honor books on Wednesday, January 21, at noon.  

Happy voting, everyone!